Unlock your front door with a cell phone

Ok, it’s not a pretty solution, but for many, it’s the result that counts. Ashish Derhgawen did some self-education on the tones that phones make and decided to put his newfound knowledge to good use. Using a pull-solenoid and an old Nokia phone to accept calls, he’s now freaking out the FedEx man by remotely unlocking his front door from anywhere he’s got cellular coverage.

Alright, I lied about the FedEx foolery, but the project is real. Check out the video and the basic premise on Ashish’s blog. And no, you can’t figure out the cell phone number to unlock his door from the vid; I thought I had it, but I see the neighbors garage door bouncing up and down every time I make an outbound call. I must be off by a digit.